The conventional progressive wisdom is that the Trump Administration will be bad for cities and for transit users. But in recent decades, a unified Republican government has been better for public transit than a divided government.

An efficient and equitable transport system must be diverse to serve diverse travel demands. Planners need better tools to quantify and communicate the benefits of walking, cycling and public transit to sometimes skeptical decision makers.

San Francisco's Parklets Become Part of the City

Parking spaces in San Francisco are being repurposed as small patio-like park spaces and out door seating areas. John King of the <em>San Francisco Chronicle</em> looks at how they've become part of the city.

"Some are no more than platforms lined with planters; others have a sculptural look or tie in to the landscaping of the adjacent sidewalk. Some feel genuinely public. Others emphatically do not.

What began last year as a form of ad hoc urbanism is emerging as a distinctive feature of neighborhood commercial districts, particularly on the eastern side of the city. Even the most compromised parklets are of value, if only to show what's at stake as the experiment evolves.

'Every circumstance is different,' said Jane Martin of Shift Design Studio. 'It gets people talking about design and comfort on the street.'"

14 of these parklets have already been built and 12 more should be complete by the end of summer.

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